August Faith & Family

August 2012

National

S’more

Day

Back to School:

Tips & Resources

GOOD THINGS DO COME IN SMALL PACKAGES: 2-1-1, our Youth and Pennies for CHANGE

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Faith and Family

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contents

columns

on the cover 4 12

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Health and Wellness

in every issue

Choose Wisely

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Quips & Quotes

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Marriage Matters

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Ad Directory

2-1-1, Our Youth and Pennies for CHANGE

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Servant Leaders

Tasty Treats

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App of the Month

Little Bits

Back to School Shopping Season: Tips and Resources

Good Things Do Come In Small Packages:

19 National S’mores Day

Help for Today’s Marriages Lessons for Senior Adults RubberBand Reminder

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Faith under Fire

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Mamma Drama

Petrified Hearts Spirit of Martha...or Mary?

16 Wise Words Chat 17 Chick Refreshments PLEASE

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Special Features Back to School

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Forgotten Heroes: Part 2

August 2012

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Little Bits

Back hopping to School 2012 Season: Tips and Resources I know some of you are uber eager to gear up for back to school sales and shopping. I, on the other hand, am enjoying lazy mornings, lack-of-schedules, and soaking in all that’s summer!

However, I recognize there is a job to get done around here and I’ve gotten my you-know-what in gear to help you save your families big bucks on all-things Back to School. So today, let me help you get your game plan.

I’ve said for quite some time now that early July is the best time to watch for school supplies. After wading through actual sales, I need to retract that. So if some of you are concerned you’re late to the game, relax. I can assure you are NOT. While it’s true there are some sales in swing most of the best deals I noticed last year actually took place in August. Surprise, surprise! Here are a few other trends I noticed.

Deals that Play Peekabo Missed those $0.25 Crayola crayons last week? No worries. Just because a hot deal popped up and went away, doesn’t mean it won’t pop up again the next month at another store, or even the same store. Bottom line, don’t boo hoo if you missed a deal. Chances are, there’ll be another one.

Target for Freebies

Consider Brands

I noticed that generic Watch Target’s printable brands (such as UP&UP coupon section in particular for Target) or Roseart for high-value coupons that had lower overall can be applied to sales. We prices.

However, found several freebies last if you prefer the year, particularly on pens, quality of say, and the freebies extended Crayola, you for several weeks. There were some issues on stock FREE at Target might want to last year consider paying as the hot deals were being spotted, so you might have to a few more pennies. contend with that. Heads up.

Watch for Coupons DO keep an eye out for any coupons! Last year we found several hot tearpad and printable coupons, along with some in inserts. Even if you’re not aware of a sale, I recommend you stash these away.

Tips for Successful Back to School Shopping Focus on easy-to-do deals. Last year a couple office stores were offering $0.01 reams of copy paper, but the catch was that the deal was “after rebate.” Walgreens also offered reams of copy paper for $1.99 with in-ad coupon. Personally, I’m more drawn to Walgreens’ deal for the simplicity and low upfront price. (And also because I have a Walgreens just up the street!) Pay attention to deals that also require you purchase a minimum of $5 or $10 to get the penny deals.

Be cautious about chasing all the deals. It can be easy to want to chase free pens at Target and then cheap highlighters at Walgreens and then cheap index cards at Fred Meyer.... but please do account for the time, gas, and energy you’ll spend doing so! Focus on maybe one or two stores, and try to get ‘er done on a week when the deals are particularly strong so you’re not doing it all in piecemeal. You might refer back to my free downloads above to determine which store best suits your preferences and needs.

Pick up a few extras. If you have the ability to do so, pick up a few extras on the hot deals! You’ll be glad you did. You can stock your own office, have backups for your kids throughout the year, and help other kids in need go back to school. The crayons make excellent stocking stuffers or Operation Christmas Child gifts, for instance. Check with your local United Way chapter about where to donate unused school supplies.

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May 29th

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August 2012

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Health and Wellness

Choose Wisely Summer vacation is coming to an end. However, if you are finding yourself taking a last minute trip before school starts here are few tips to help you avoid the pitfalls of ‘road food’ and make healthier choices when you are away from home.

Avoid the Pitfalls: Don’t just ‘grab and go’ when you’re on the road, but rather take control by planning ahead.

Convenience stores, food courts and fast food restaurants offer a plethora of processed foods and treats that are nutritionally poor and loaded with fat, sugar, salt, chemicals, and calories – not to mention leaving you feeling fatigued and bloated.

Whether you’re flying off on a business trip or driving to a beach house, packing healthy snacks ahead of time should be at the top of your to-do list.

Some simple and perfectly Here are some foods you portable choices include: should be vigilant to avoid when you’re on the road: • Natural peanut butter, raw almond butter and baked wheat/multi-grain crackers or rice cakes. Or pack some road-friendly nut butter sandwiches made with whole wheat or multi-grain bread.

• Refined grains/simple carbohydrates (bagels, hard rolls, or anything else made with white flour).

• Nuts, fruit and a high quality natural dry cereal to munch on, or trail mix that is chockfull of your favorite healthy goodies.

• Bags of salty, greasy potato or corn chips

• A power protein, or granola bar. Check the label to be sure it doesn’t have any chemicals, hydrogenated oil, or high fructose corn syrup lurking inside. Also watch the calorie count and check the fat and sugar content, and opt for one with the best nutritional profile.

• High glycemic foods such as fruit juice, soda, and sugary snacks, and forget about diet soda with its toxic artificial sweeteners.

• Pack a little cooler with yogurt, berries, low-fat cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or raw veggies and humus.

• For a punch of protein that doesn’t require refrigeration, take along sardines or single-serving packets of tuna and whole grain pita bread to make a simple, satisfying, and healthy sandwich.

• If you want something crunchy, pop natural popcorn, put it in a container or bag and take it with you.

• Anything with partially hydrogenated oils (this includes most processed/ prepackaged baked goods and even nondairy creamer, which is heavy on the chemicals).

• The usual high-calorie, high fat, high carb, nutritionally-void culprits at fast food places (remember the movie ‘Super Size Me?). French fries, burgers, processed and fried chicken patties/ nuggets, and in fact most other menu offerings are big nutritional offenders and should not be consumed.

Remember that nutritious, healthy eating doesn’t mean deprivation and with a little planning you can enjoy foods that are deliciously good for you.

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Help For Today’s I

M M

arriage

arriages

t is no surprise that marriages today were constantly biting at us. Here are the are crumbling everywhere you Six obstacles and a brief description of turn, even the marriages that appear to be each one. healthy and thriving. The greater mystery Mosquito #1.....Busyness! There is no is that couples who love the Lord can’t doubt that we are an incredibly busy find a way to work through conflict and society. We stay on the go all day long and difficulties. I guess it would be safe to say then wonder why our relationships are that society today is good at hiding what is falling apart. If you don’t take the time to really going on behind closed doors. This build and work on your relationships, they breaks my heart that couples will not reach will die. There is no other option, if you do out for help until it is too late. Steve and I not invest in them. I believe the devil looks have dedicated our lives to helping couples at marriages and families and says “If I work out their differences and resolve the can’t make them bad, I’ll make them busy!” issues that continue to pop up every time Please evaluate all the things that take up they turn around. your time and learn to prioritize what is The Barna Group who does surveys on most important! marriage and family say that “one out of Mosquito #2....Irritability! Is anyone every three marriages today will divorce at irritable in your house? Absolutely, and it least once.” There is valid reason that we, as is most likely because of all the busyness in a society, have got to focus more on how to our life. Irritability is a result of not feeling build a healthy marriage and ...couples will not reach out for help until it is too late. be a committed person to the vows we say valuable and important to the people that before God and others. love you. However, instead of dealing with Steve and I wrote a book a couple the issue, all we do is address a person’s of years ago on the issues that were a behavior and it becomes a vicious cycle. constant source of aggravation to our We need to stop and take the time to find marriage. Once we could identify our areas out what is really going on in the heart of of conflict, we learned how to recognize those we love. them and deal with them in a calm, honest Mosquito #3...Thought Life! The mind form of communication. This has been is the most powerful part of our body. a life saver to our marriage and we have We spend unbelievable amounts of time witnessed it be the same for many couples thinking and it is a known fact that 70% across the US. We want to take the time of our thoughts are negative. If you add to tell you about it and offer a way for you negative images to your mind and couple to purchase it if you believe you could use them with negative words that have the help. It is very practical and we did it as been said to you in a lifetime, you can a workbook so that you (as a couple) can destroy your confidence and all of your work on each of these six obstacles. relationships. God has such powerful tools to help us guard our heart and mind. Do not The Six Mosquitoes that will Drain underestimate the power of this mosquito the Life out of Every Marriage and in your life.

Relationship by Steve and Debbie Wilson. Mosquito #4...Drifting Apart! Have you If you have ever had a mosquito in your ever gone to the beach and gone out into home you know how annoying it can be the water for a period of time and then before you finally can remove it . It spends looked at the shore and saw that your stuff time slowly biting everyone in the house. has suddenly moved? As you laugh, you This is how we identified the things that realize that your stuff has not moved but

Matters

that the current slowly moved you down the beach. That is exactly what happens in our marriages. We are out doing life and all of a sudden we realize that we feel very distant and removed from our spouse. I know this is very common in marriages.

The problem is we don’t know how to find our way back to one another. This chapter will help you identify feelings that you have that you couldn’t express.

Mosquito #5...Finances! There is never a truer area of where opposites marry than when it comes to finances. Most couples handle money completely different and it becomes a source of contention. Steve and I share our own battles in this area and how God taught us to trust him and accept each other’s differences.

Mosquito #6...Inability to Forgive! Boy have we learned to hold on to offenses to protect ourselves and to be able to use them as weapons in the future when we need them. Exactly the opposite of what God teaches us! The absolute greatest thing you could ever learn to do is to forgive others and forgive yourself. It is the key to living a peaceful life. This mosquito has to go if you want a great marriage!

So here it is, available to you! It is full of very practical help as well as God’s principles and scriptures! There are 3 ways to purchase this book. It is available on our website: www.marriagemattersnow. com or you may email us for the book: marriagemattersnow@gmail.com or it is on Amazon. The book is $15 plus shipping. It is a small investment for a lot of help and guidance. Please invest in your relationships today!!

We also do private individual and marriage counseling here in Shreveport.

Feel free to call for an appointment at 318469-2438!

God created you to have a great marriage....now it’s up to you to choose to work on it!!

Steve and Debbie Wilson

www.marriagematters.com

August 2012

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Lessons From Senior Adults

I made it; I was in full time ministry. I was 19 years old when I became the youth pastor of Bethel Assembly of God in Shreveport, LA. I was single. I didn’t have a dollar to my name. I was too young to drive the church van, but I had finally arrived!

Br. Smitty was the door greeter at Bethel Assembly of God. He has been the door greeter for more than two decades and if you were to go there today he will be the first one opening the door for you, handling you a church bulletin, and greeting you with the biggest smile no matter who you are. One day I asked Br. Smitty why he was the door greater. He began to tell me that after he gave his life to God he asked God what he needed to do for the church.

The Lord told Br. Smitty to “Greet my people.” Br. Smitty told the Lord that he was willing to do anything and go anywhere but God still told him to greet his people. Br. Smitty agreed and began serving faithfully as the door greeter and has never left his post for over two decades.

Br. Smitty taught me that no ministry is more important than another ministry. I used to believe that youth ministry was THE ministry and every other ministry wasn’t quite getting it like youth ministry. Br. Smitty showed me how wrong I really was. He showed me the importance of faithful service no matter where you are called to serve. I have never seen this type faithfulness to the call of God before or since. Br. Smitty has instilled a great ministry principle into my life – faithfulness to the call.

Rev. James Reine

Bethal Assembly of God

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. . . earts Petrified H

hether the experts call it fossilization or petrifaction, the process of turning a vibrant organism into stone takes time and pressure. Itʼs the same with human hearts. We are not born with stony hearts; we acquire them by making selfish choices and allowing lifeʼs hurts to turn living flesh into granite.

For comparison, letʼs look at two of “my” former residents at Live Oak Retirement Community, where I served as Marketing/ Admissions Director from 1990-99. First, there is Dorothy (DeDe) Stinson. Just days before her drop-in visit, her home in north Caddo parish was seriously ravaged by a violent storm. Still in one piece herself, although badly shaken, she surveyed the damage and decided she just wasnʼt up to rebuilding in her eighties!

So, she got in her car and drove to Live Oak, took a tour and selected an apartment on the spot. Make no mistake. She loved her family home, and knew she would miss her small community, but decided it was time to move. God had something else for her to do!

She was right. Her open heart and neverlook-back nature were infectious, winning the love and admiration of all she encountered.

Always ready to share what she had, her apartment stayed on my “show list” for many years since she granted open permission to enter whether she was there or not. I do not recall ever telephoning her with a last-minute request for a tour that she didnʼt say, “Just

give me five minutes!”

So, when the time came for me to choose a grandmother name, I didnʼt hesitate and claimed DeDe for my own, hoping and praying to be like her.

Then there was Mrs. X. She arrived at Live Oak loaded for bear even though her daughter had done everything possible to make her transition worry-free. One of the unhappiest people I have ever known, Mrs. X constantly griped about everything and everyone, bending ears with her tales of woe and making all within earshot unhappy. The problem became so acute that most residents refused to eat lunch with her since her vitriolic nature tended to sour the stomach by mealʼs end. Yes, she had endured some hardships, but no more so than anyone else. It was her negative attitude that colored everything black.

The Bible paints a contrast between these two types of personalities. Proverbs 31:25 says, “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.” Compare those uplifting words to Proverbs 21:9. “It is better to live in a corner of a roof, than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Solomon, with his hundreds of wives, had probably learned this wisdom firsthand and was eager to pass it on to other gentlemen of his day.

The point is that a self-centered person, male or female (argumentative, combative, touchy, critical, hot-blooded, mean-spirited, stubborn, prideful) is not good company. If their venom is strong enough, most people leave them

Fossilized leaf in an age-old rock

to stew in their own juices. The end result of a life so lived is a petrified heart that cannot give or receive, learn or grow. Like fossil leaves, these hearts are forever entombed in stone.

The process of heart petrifaction is called “sin” throughout the Bible. In the story of Pharaoh and the plagues on Egypt in Exodus 7-14, notice the correlation between repeated hardening of oneʼs heart, sinning, and the Lordʼs patience. Over the course of many weeks God exacted progressively severe plagues, and Pharaoh had at least nine chances to comply. Because of his continued refusal, God helped the hardening process along until it became irreversible. Another Old Testament story in Daniel 4 relates King Nebuchadnezzarʼs progression from sanity to madness to revelation. Like Pharaoh, he was rather stuck on himself. It took losing his marbles and living like a beast for seven years to get through to him, but eventually he “blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever.”

Fossils of all kinds will break. God sometimes shatters us if thatʼs the only way He can reach us, but that is not His primary desire. He prefers that we bow our hearts to Him so He can transform them into hearts of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:16-21; 36:24-27)

Dianne Howell

August 2012

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GOOD THINGS DO COME IN SMALL PACKAGES: 2-1-1, our Youth and Pennies for CHANGE

2-1-1,

a simple and free, 3-digit dialing code providing connections to the community services and assistance for those who find themselves facing a crisis in Louisiana. Centerpoint Community Services operates 2-1-1 Connections, which is the Northwest Louisiana collaborative partner of the statewide 2-1-1 system. Whether your crisis is lacking the resources to provide food for your family, or housing costs to shelter your family, or just paying the utility bills, or meeting the extraordinary expense of prescribed medications for you or your children – not covered or exceeding the coverage of your healthcare benefits, to understanding how to navigate the healthcare benefits Medicaid or Medicare, or you children are faced with the fear of daily bullying from someone in their daily life, 2-1-1 is the place you call for HELP. 2-1-1 administers the centralized Resources Information Database for all of Louisiana’s public services and private or faith-based services that may meet the needs of households with low-to-moderate incomes. If a senior citizen can’t pay their prescription medication, or when they are faced with placement in a Long Term Care facility or need to apply for disability, 2-1-1 Connections is a Medicaid Application Center, and with trained Information & Referral Specialists can direct you and/or assist your application for eligibility based resources of Social Security. Each year, tens of thousands of people call 2-1-1 to resolve their crisis, a moment when they fear they cannot go another day without HELP! It’s often the difference a single act of caring can make, by providing assistance or a resource that CHANGES their fear into HOPE. Like these small acts of caring, PENNIES are a small denominator, often negligible in our society. In our everyday lives, we often discard pocketfuls or purses full of change for the inconvenience it provides us to carry, or the space it takes up. 2-1-1 Connections has envisioned joining the simplicity of our children’s natural compassion for others, with the action of collecting PENNIES and helping meet the needs of those in their community through the Penny Harvest. By developing and empowering our young people through Penny

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Harvest, it civically engages children in gathering pennies and putting their compassion into action; developing their generosity and moral character, as well as their understanding of the service learning, philanthropy, fund-raising for a cause, and the democratic decisionmaking process.

Penny Harvest The Penny Harvest grew from one child’s desire to feed the homeless in New York City over twenty-one years ago, and since 1991, children ages four through eighteen have been converting their natural compassion into action - $8.1 million has been donated by children to meet the needs in their community. The model has been recreated in five other states in major metro communities across America. 2-1-1 Connections’ vision is for the Penny Harvest to take place in our community, engaging our young people, teaching them service learning and how they can change their community.

2-1-1 Connections and our community’s first Penny Harvest will engage children from several community church groups within Shreveport-Bossier City, and surrounding areas. After the ensuring weeks of concentrated preparation and dedicated harvesting, 2-1-1 has planned a Back-to-School SPLASH Celebration or as Penny Harvest calls it, a Grand Harvest Festival. The event will be at Splash Kingdom, Sunday, August 19, 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., with sponsored admission, concession refreshments, and musical entertainment provided to celebrate the efforts of the harvesters – our passionate young people in action. Proceeds from their Penny Harvest will go to meet the needs in our local communities, selected by the Harvest Teams as part of their philanthropic and service learning program training.

In our northwest community of Louisiana (eleven parishes with the largest population comprised by the Shreveport-Bossier Metropolitan Area), 2-1-1 Connections annually assesses the priorities of needs as they are presented through 2-1-1. These needs have

recurrently identified FOOD and FOOD Stability as the #1 need in our region. Year-to-year, 2-1-1 Connections facilitates publically funded programs that serve other priorities evidenced in an annual Needs Assessment, but FOOD resources remain the highest request for assistance, time and again. Families who have been met with a loss of employment of a spouse, or a catastrophic health need which has taken every last dollar they’ve earned, are then faced with making the decision of whether they go without a meal or pay a utility or a prescription bill.

These decisions are their crisis point, and 2-1-1 through Penny Harvest, and the young people of our community can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors, friends, and even family members within our community for a better outcome tomorrow.

If you, your neighborhood association, your church Sunday school class, or your child’s school or classroom is interested in hosting a Penny Harvest, participating in a Service Learning and Philanthropic Program where they make a difference by choosing from their communities’ prioritized needs and how their harvested pennies are gifted to those in need: Please contact Shirley Holder or Terri Axelson at 21-1 Connections, by dialing three-digits “2-1-1” on any phone in Louisiana to speak to them about hosting a PENNY HARVEST today!!!

Other easy ways to donate to Penny Harvest: • Monthly check or credit card donations • One-time donation via Centerpoint/2-1-1s secure online donation form.

To sign up to make MONTHLY donations, or to make a secure, ONLINE, ONETIME gift, go to www.centerpt.org

Terri Axelson Executive Director Shirley Holder Resources and Volunteer Programs Director

Centerpoint Community Services – 2-1-1 Connections sbfaithandfamily.com

������������������������������������������

��������������

…EVERY GROUP RECEIVES… - The Penny Harvest Kit with

Children between the ages of 4 and 18 connect with their parents, friends, and

tools to help the entire school

neighbors as they go in search of pennies. The harvest encourages neighbors of all

gather pennies, and take action

types and generations to talk and share and ultimately coalesce as a stronger community.

- Technical assistance from Youth leaders work to energize their peers around The Penny Harvest by giving class presentations, leading

service-learning experts,

assemblies and role modeling their own penny collection, while teachers or ministers take advantage of a

logistical support including

curriculum–a tool that allows them to easily integrate the principles and actions of The Penny Harvest into

penny pick up and guidance

their core curriculum. Through church or school-wide activities and curriculum connections, community

with selecting the beneficiaries

building assemblies, and friendly competitions, every church or school joins forces for one common goal: to

of their harvest

beat the “Harvest Challenge”!

��������������������������������� The Philanthropy Roundtable makes The Penny Harvest distinctive among programs by giving children the power and the freedom to decide how to spend their harvest funds. Youth leaders sit on roundtables to study the assessed community needs from information provided by 2-1-1 Connections. They define community, discuss and prioritize the most pressing issues and determine which services or assistance can best alleviate those problems. They then make decisions for the services most needed and decide which will receive the pennies they collected earlier; a philanthropic practice that is often reserved for adults.

����������� Often students want to take their philanthropy a step further by getting involved first hand. Youth conceive and plan their own Neighborhood Service projects, sometimes using their pennies to fund these projects and other times by simply volunteering their time. The young people partner with experienced representatives from 2-1-1 Connections to learn more about the complex community problems and how to work together to solve them.

����������������� After informed decision making, youth present their decisions for their chosen community needs at the season-end Grand Harvest Event. It’s an exciting moment and includes serious reflection on the group’s Penny Harvesting accomplishments.

One student concluded: “It sticks in my mind how as we sat on the floor and read story after story of serious needs. I couldn’t imagine how you could choose who to help or which need was most important, which is what we had to do.”

Reflections like this reinforce learning, compel our young people to evaluate their accomplishments and generate creative ways to make the next harvest even heartier.�

August 2012

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Spirit of Martha...or Mary?

Q

uestion: How is it that one moment I am full of zeal and the next moment I am completely drained? Like a balloon.

One minute it’s soaring through the sky and the next it’s spiraling out of control before it falls to the ground. Completely empty.

The other day was like that for me.

I was driving home from taking Ace to school and listening to a homily. I felt so energized and motivated. I couldn’t wait to get home so I could pray. I just wanted to “lay aside all earthly cares” and lose myself in the ancient and powerful prayers of the Church.

We got home and I unloaded the kids. I reached into my bag for the keys to unlock the front door and discovered that my coffee thermos that I thought was empty wasn’t. Well, I mean, it was now. But apparently it wasn’t when I carelessly placed it in my bag. The entire contents of my diaper bag were now covered in my free sample of Maxwell House’s Vanilla Caramel latte (which was super yummy btw). I huffed and began to grumble almost instantly. Once in the house, I started nitpicking about shoes that were randomly strewn around the house and not by the front door where they belonged and the trail of cracker crumbs that led to the living room carpet.

You know, the crumbs from the crackers

“

I must have told Lucky about a gazillion sitting in the sink. I was doing it again. I was being Martha. Why can’t I ever just be times to stay and the table and eat.

I told myself, I would just clean out more like Mary? I asked aloud. Why can’t the bag and vacuum the crumbs (yes, in I choose the one thing needful?? How is something that is really simple, if we allow that order because it to be, so incredibly and painstakingly I really like my bag) and would start my What if you woke difficult?

I didn’t clean the prayers a little later. up today with spot on the table. I Soon, I was picking up this and dusting off that and only the things didn’t get up to do the unloading the dishwasher dishes either. I sat there you thanked God and taking food out to and read. And I kept reading until defrost and changing sheets for yesterday? and making my shopping list and. and. my back end was numb from sitting and.

I must have missed praying at least a in that chair. And you know what? From a dozen times in my anxious scramble to spiritual perspective, it was the best day I had in a long time. “tidy up.”

I guess I could be more like Mary, Before I knew it, it was time to go pick Ace up from school. Which basically after all. The choices she made were no meant, there would be no time to pray. different from the ones I make every day.

I just have to allow myself to choose the Until later.

After school, we had a snack, did good part too. homework. I started dinner. We ate. I “Now it happened as they went that He cleaned up. I gave the kids their baths. I entered a certain village; and a certain showered. I sat down on the couch. I fell woman named Martha welcomed Him asleep. into her house.

I thought about the Word later. I always And she had a sister called Mary, who promised to...later. It reminded me of a also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His quote I read awhile back that said, “What word. if you woke up today with only the things But Martha was distracted with much you thanked God for yesterday?” I would serving, and she approached Him have awoken with nothing that morning. and said, “Lord, do You not care that The next morning my sister has left me to serve alone? when my husband and Therefore, tell her to help me.” the boys went outside And Jesus answered and said to her, later that morning, I “Martha, Martha, you are worried and sat at the kitchen table troubled about many things. But one and opened my Bible. thing is needed. Mary has chosen that I began to read. Then good part, which will not be taken away I began to look at the from her.” (Luke 10:38) spot on the table that So, I have to ask: Do you have the spirit needed wiping. And of Martha or Mary? Or a bit of both? then I thought about Syliva Leontaritis the breakfast dishes still

”

August 2012

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“Let mercy outweigh all else in you. Let our compassion be a mirror where we may see in ourselves that likeness and that true image, which belong to the Divine nature and Divine essence. A hard and unmerciful heart will never be pure.�

St. Isaac the Syrian

Wise

Words

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don’t know about you but in my life there have been definite moments when I needed ‘refreshments’ as soon as possible! Maybe you have been in a place where you were both thirsty and needed a drink; hungry and you needed some food; dirty and you needed a shower?

It has been my experience in this life that there are times when without the ‘refreshment of God’ I would NOT be able to function!

Get me a ‘REFRESHING DRINK OF JESUS’ please!

Sometimes we get down in our troubles and temptations and although we KNOW the Truth of God we lose our ‘freshness’ in the Lord and need to be reminded of it!

Have you ever thought that maybe that is why we must go through the ‘dry’ spell or through the ‘hungry’ spell or the ‘dirty’ spell? Is God trying to get us to return to what REFRESHES our Spirit?

Speak this passage of Scripture into your life today and BELIEVE that God is going to REFRESH you in whatever

trouble or temptation you may be going through!

Isaiah 12:2-4 (ESV) “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Give thanks to the , call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.”

Don’t you feel REFRESHED already in just reading that passage? That is what God intends in His people! He WANTS us to seek Him when we can’t go forward without another drink, another morsel and we want to get the dirt off of us!

Believe Him today and be REFRESHED girlfriends!

Joanne Timothy

www.heartsfireministry.com

August 2012

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.Tasty Treats .

I can’t think of too many things better than chocolate. Add a marshmallow... you must be in Heaven. This month on the 10th of August we should all be celebrating National S’mores Day. I thought it only helpful to give you some ‘outside the box’ s’more ideas to share with your family.

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

-In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar To save on the awful mess until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, s’mores tend to make. Try whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, these S’more Bars. baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture 1/2 cup butter, room temperature and mix at a low speed until combined.

1/4 cup brown sugar -Divide dough in half and press half of dough into 1/2 cup sugar an even layer on the bottom of the prepared 1 large egg pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king1 tsp vanilla extract sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 1 tsp baking powder inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow 1/4 tsp salt 2 king-sized milk chocolate creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single bars layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by (e.g. Hershey’s) flattening the dough into small shingles and laying 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff them together). (not melted marshmallows) -Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.

National

S’more Day

Baked S’mores

-On a wax paper lined counter spread Teddy Grahams out.

-Drizzle evenly with melted chocolate.

-Sprinkle with Mallow Bits.

-Let set, approx 1 hour -Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

S’mores Snack Mix 1 (10 oz) box Teddy Grahams 1 cup Jet Puffed Mallow Bits 1 cup milk chocolate chips, melted

-In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Stir to mix well. Pour into 9-inch glass pie pan, spreading evenly.

-Drop marshmallow creme by tablespoonfuls randomly over chocolate mixture.

Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate marshmallow creme is softened.

Immediately with knife, make several chips 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed small swirls through marshmallow and chocolate, creating a marbled milk (not evaporated) appearance.

1/2 cup marshmallow creme 1 box (13 oz) graham cracker -Serve immediately with graham sticks for dipping. honey sticks

S’more Dip

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Back SCHOOL Stuff

Summer Break is almost over and school will be back in session. What better way to start the first day back to school with something special for your kids classmates. Here are a few suggestions if you are that mom that has some extra time or talent on your hand.

Krispy Apple Treats

(makes 25)

Directions: Place marshmallows and butter in large microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional minute. Remove from microwave and stir in jell-o powder. If desired, you can add a few drops of red food coloring (depending on how “red” your jell-o is).

Add Krispy Rice cereal and stir well. Spray hands with baking spray and roll mixture into balls (a little larger than a golf ball) and drop on wax paper. After balls have set for a few minutes, use your thumb to press into the top to make an “apple” shape.

Add a small tootsie roll “stem” and using royal icing (or any green candy), pipe on a “leaf”. I actually would have rather used some kind of green candy but didn’t have any on hand. I just used royal icing and a leaf-shaped icing tip.

First step: Measure your yellow paper so that it covers 95% of the Rolo pack. Crimp the paper or use a straight edge to create lines going down the paper. Then cut one edge of the paper with your scissors. Use tape to adhere the paper to the Rolo pack.

6 C. Krispy Rice Cereal 1 pkg. large marshmallows 3 T. butter 1 small pkg. Jell-o powder, cherry or strawberry flavor 25 small Tootsie Roll Candies Royal Icing*, tinted green Baking spray Wax Paper Red Food Coloring, optional *optional: you could use fruit roll-ups or those green mint leaf candies instead of the royal icing.

Rolo Pencil Here is what you will need to make one:

1 Rolo 1 Hershey kiss yellow card stock pink card stock Next take your pink card stock and cut small strips to cover the end of tinfoil the Rolo pack. Adhere with tape. Then use a quarter to cut circles for the pinking shears or zig zag scissors tape end or the “eraser” Use a glue dot to stick the circle to the bottom. glue dots Next cut a small strip of tin foil and tape it to the bottom seam where the paper crimper or something to pink and the yellow meet. bend paper (optional) Last step is to use a glue dot and place your kiss on the other end of the Rolo pack.

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Faith and Family

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special feature This is Part II in a series by R.B. Dill on the War Dogs of Vietnam – the forgotten heroes. Last month, R.B., brought us on a journey into the life of a dog and dog handler preparing for battle. We learned about what actually takes place in training and how it impacts both the trainer and K-9. But most importantly, we discovered that God is faithful, even in extreme times of stress and fear. R.B.’s journey continues this month in the following as we are introduced to another forgotten hero.

A

Forgotten Heroes -Part II

fter Smokey ((his story is in Part I of these series), I chose Timmy 47XO among the five dogs unassigned at the 432nd kennels. The Kennel Master spoke highly of him and we had an instant bonding from the get go. Timmy was a full bred german-shepherd weighing 120 pounds. His legs were extremely long and he had a freakishly strong month – massive jaws projected out that could chew through a telephone pole. Timmy took his work seriously and it was evident the last handler did as well. The name of the game was survival! Survival at all costs.

And we were prepared to do whatever it took to make it.The world (United States) seemed so far away and to get back home was stirring from day one.

I did not have time to inquire about Smokey since the war was raging in 72.

I just put it in the back of my mind and locked in to the mission at hand. I knew there would be plenty of time to do that when I returned to the States. For now, I needed to stay focused, serve my country, prayer and do my job.

After patrolling with Timmy 7 months he was euthanized and fell asleep in my arms. His eyes slowly closed and at times he fought the drug to keep his focus on me like he was trained to do. The base veterinarian put him down because it was Timmy’s 8th birthday. No dog could serve in a combat zone after the age of eight. It was hard to handle and I blamed myself, but survival was at stake. It is still a shock to me because Timmy looked like

he was no more than 5 years old.The doc explained that after a dog reaches 8 his hearing and sight begin to deteriorate and in a combat zone you need every advantage. Feeling a deep sense of loss, I prepared to return home.

Now that I was back in the States and breathing the air of freedom, I tried to relax but stirred constantly. The Lord was bringing promises back into remembrance that I had made during the war.We all had at least one, but I had several. Some were personal to GOD and one to Smokey. I began to read the Bible again and it aided with my recovery. My search was on for my friend and comrade Smokey, Smokey the Bear.This was his pet name to me and many handlers did the same with their dogs. Deep inside I knew that this dog was special. The bond we shared was so strong; I believed he held me in a special place in his heart as well.

With hope, I started my search. The first news I received was that the war dogs had been put-down! My heart sank but I knew this had to be just rumor.

However, every call and letter confirmed that they were either euthanized or transitioned to the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). All this did not sit well with me. But it was not until the late 80’s that I learned that some of the WAR Dogs made it home and this brought new life to me. Surely, I thought, I might know one that made it back to the world. The documents were still not declassified and it would take me another ten years to get

my hands on them. I rested in the faith of Christ Jesus that one day these papers would be declassified. Thank God, I was right.

No one ever took responsibility for giving the order to euthanize the War Dogs. As the war closed and the evacuation process was ongoing these War Dogs were considered Government Issue(G.I.). In other words expendable equipment! So, their fate was sealed.

The U. S. Congress passed laws protecting the Military Working Dogs in the mid 90’s after they heard testimony of what occurred during the Vietnam War. Now they are treated as soldiers soldier’s they were, are, and will always be remembered. Never again will this atrocity occur by the grace of GOD. The Lord was faithful and I began to develop patience and patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit.

At the close of 2005 I got a strong tracking scent and followed it to trails end. Some of the handlers in the mayhem of evacuating in the Vietnam War got wind of the fate of these four legged soldiers. Having heard that the dogs were to be euthanized these few handlers got the dogs on C-130’s, helicopters, and any other means necessary. Forgetting protocol they saved the lives of these 247 WAR Dogs. One of those dogs, well his name was..........to be continued.

RB Dill August 2012

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Quips and Quotes As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools.

Author Unknown

People who walk in the Spirit judge ʻthingsʼ not people.

Beth Moore

I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.

Lily Tomlin as “Edith Ann”

Remember, never to fear the power of evil more than your trust in the power and love of God. Hermas, one of the Seventy The gospel is so simple that small children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust itʼs riches.

Charles Hodge

You are worried and troubles about many things. But one thing is needed.

Luke 10:41-42

But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Donʼt be afraid.

Matthew 14:27

Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

Luke 6:40

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August Fun Dates

August 2: National Icecream Sandwich Day August 5: Friendship Day August 10: Lazy Day August 22: Be an Angel Day

The Perfect Person’s Rule of Life: The perfect person does not only try to avoid evil. Nor does he do good for fear of punishment, still less in order to qualify for the hope of a promised reward.

The perfect person does good through love.

His actions are not motivated by desire for personal benefit, so he does not have personal advantage as his aim.

But as soon as he has realized the beauty of doing good, he does it with all his energies and in all that he does.

He is not interested in fame, or a good reputation, or a human or divine reward.

The rule of life for a perfect person is to be in the image and likeness of God. St. Clement of Alexandria 22

Faith and Family

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August 2012

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